Cracked ribs for Carroll

John Carroll, who took a horrific-looking tumble on Shikari's Son in the Ayr Gold Cup on Saturday, will be away from race-riding for the next six to 10 days after suffering nothing worse than cracked ribs.

Carroll and Shikari's Son were travelling smoothly at the rear of the favoured stands' side pack when Shikari's Son stumbled and fell, throwing his rider to the ground. The gelding rolled twice on Carroll, treading on the jockey's body.

Carroll said: "We were going so well just before it happened that I actually thought he was going to win it. But although we had gone through a first gap, as we were going through the second, it started to close up on us when we were half-way through.

"It squeezed up and he clipped the heels of one of the others and came down."

Carroll was in no doubt that the now standard-issue body protector and new design of helmet, limited further injury.

"The horse gave me a fair kick in the head and stood on my chest and body when he was trying to get up. Without the protector and helmet it would have been far worse."